the power of vulnerability

Have you listened to this talk by Dr. Brene Brown? 

In this talk Dr. Brown says, 

"Vulnerability is the birthplace of joy, love, belonging, creativity and faith"

I happen to think her talk is really extraordinary, and I hope you will listen!

...and try asking yourself:

where in your life are you avoiding being vulnerable, and what are you giving up in the process?

Watch live streaming video from tedxkc at livestream.com

today is tomorrow

I don't know about you, but for me January flew by without even the slightest attempt at accomplishing my New Year goal. Seriously, I didn't even try to fake it.

On my bus ride to work this morning I read an article in my new issue of Eating Well about a couple who were contestants on the Biggest Loser. One evening during a workout the husband was ready to head home and said he would "do more tomorrow". His wife responded by saying, "Today is tomorrow." While my goals aren't fitness related, it really made me stop and think.

Today is Tomorrow.

That really resonates with me. It's time to stop putting things off until later.

I've taken a little blogging hiatus. I'm certainly not getting myself down about not accomplishing the things I meant to get to -  in this time we bought a house, remodeled 2 bedrooms, a bathroom, and the living room, and enjoyed the holiday. The house is looking great! But I'm ready to break free from my house tunnel vision and give myself permission to spend some time with other interests.

Namely, coaching.

So, I'm back. And I would love to coach with you (maybe on "that thing" you've not gotten to in January yet either?) I coach clients on achieving the healthy bodies they deserve.  I also work with clients on a variety of other topics, addressing whatever calls each individual.  Through our coaching we identify and create goals, ultimately designing the path to achieve them.   

Email me for some free coaching! I heard that February is the new New Year anyway.


You can learn more about coaching with me at www.fyccoach.com

nyc health department anti-soda campaign

The New York City Health Department recently started a campaign to educate the public about the health impacts of drinking sweetened drinks.

Through the campaign they ask, "Are you pouring on the pounds?"

To me this is a powerful and necessary campaign. What do you think?

is BMI bs?

Well to that I would answer yes...and no.


Body Mass Index (BMI) is a measure used as a screening tool to indicate a healthy range for weight vs height for an average adult.  It is controversial because adults who we might generally think of as normal size will often register as "overweight" because the calculator does not take into account frame size, muscle mass, and changes in body composition with age.  BMI was not developed with the intention of being used as widely as it has in the health field (see this interesting article, thanks to a fellow blogger), and there are more accurate indicators of healthy weight status.  In short, it is not perfect and certainly should not be the only factor used to determine health status.


With that said, let's ask ourselves: why does this matter?  


One reason is somewhat obvious: being categorized as overweight or obese by a generic "one size fits all" tool feels...well, bad.  Especially when BMI puts what is now the average American into these categories (and let's just be honest - the average American isn't in this category because of high muscle mass).


Yet, researchers who use this tool are not using this to measure your "hotness".  They are trying to understand risk factors for diseases related to being overweight, such as heart disease, high blood pressure, type II diabetes, certain cancers, and more.  What studies do show is that higher BMI's, despite the many variables, are linked with health risks.  


Are you looking at BMI as a measure of how thin you are, or as a measure of your health? You know your body, you know how you feel and you know if you are living the lifestyle that keeps your body at its best.  Someone "20 lbs overweight" by whichever medical standard who exercises regularly; eats ample fruits,vegetables and whole grains; drinks plenty of water; and gets enough rest is arguably in much better health than a "thinner" person who does not do these things.  


Your "BMI status" might not be accurate...but in many ways that really does not matter.  What does matter is your health, your energy level, your perception of yourself, and your happiness.  So I would ask: how do you feel about these things? 

grilling season coming to an end...

As grilling season comes to an end, it seems timely to share the most exciting thing I've learned about grilling this summer.  Our friends Chris and Paola know a gentleman from Argentina who taught them how to cook an egg in the most amazing way I've heard of!  For someone (like me) who is a big fan of eggs - and grilling - this is a perfect combination. 

Ingredients
Bell peppers (red, yellow, orange, or green will do) one per person
Eggs one per person
Salt
Pepper

Preheat your grill by turning on burners (or getting charcoal hot) and covering with the lid. 

Meanwhile, cut away the top of the pepper(s) by creating a large circle around the stem.  Remove the stem and any remaining seeds from the pepper(s). 

Crack one egg directly inside each pepper, just as you would put an egg in a pan for sunny side up.  Sprinkle the raw egg with salt and pepper to your liking (and any other seasonings that inspire you). 

Place the pepper(s) directly on the grill, covering with the lid.  Depending on the temperature of your grill (ours is usually about 400 F), cook for 20 minutes or more.  Check the egg regularly, removing the pepper from the grill when desired egg doneness is reached. 

Serve as a side or the main entree!  I would like to have these with Eating Well's Corn & Basil Cakes sometime soon.

Barbie Dolls, 2008

I love this piece by Chris Jordan.  

Here he uses 32,000 barbies to depict, "the number of elective breast augmentation surgeries performed monthly in the US in 2006."  

Please visit his site to see more of his work, which I had the pleasure of seeing on display in Seattle.  Mr. Jordan uses a variety of goods to visually represent consumerism in the United States.  Powerful & compelling!

poblanos stuffed with cheddar and chicken

Good Lord, these are good. I recommend making them on a weekend for your first go-'round, because the first attempt can be a bit labor intensive (can take about an hour and a half). We got started a little to late the first time we tried them, and ended up having one of those meals where you're so tired by the time you eat that you almost forget you were hungry.  Completely worth it, and I have told myself that the next time I make them I will remember to cook the rice first, which should save me some time! Eeeeh...

We served them with Eating Well's Corn & Basil Cakes (a savory pancake). These are great too!

poblanos stuffed with cheddar and chicken
finecooking.com

4 large poblano chiles
2 medium tomatoes, chopped
1/2 medium white onion, chopped
1 large clove garlic, chopped
1 tsp. dried oregano (I used fresh, but remember dried has a stronger flavor per volume)
1 tsp. ground cumin
Generous pinch ground cinnamon
Kosher salt
1 Tbs. olive oil
2 cups shredded cooked chicken (I used chicken breast, the recipe calls for dark meat)
1-1/2 cups cooked brown or white rice
2 cups grated sharp or extra-sharp white Cheddar (about 7 oz.)
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro (including some tender stems)
1 Tbs. lime juice

Cook rice

Position an oven rack about 4 inches from the broiler and heat the broiler on high. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with foil.

Slit the chiles from stem to tip (not all the way through to both sides, only opening one side to stuff) and set on the baking sheet. Broil, turning every few minutes, until blackened all over, 5 to 8 minutes. Let cool slightly, peel off the skins, and cut out the seed cores, leaving the stems on. Turn the chiles inside out, flick out any remaining seeds, and turn right side out. Return the poblanos to the baking sheet.

Purée the tomatoes, onion, garlic, oregano, cumin, cinnamon, and 1/2 tsp. salt in a food processor. Heat the oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium heat. Add the purée and cook, stirring frequently, until the liquid has evaporated and the mixture looks thick and pulpy, 8 to 11 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat. Stir in the chicken and rice, and then 1 cup of the cheese, the cilantro, and the lime juice. Season to taste with salt.

Divide the filling among the peppers, wrapping the sides of the peppers up and around the filling, some of which will still be exposed. The peppers will probably tear, but who cares...you're not cooking for the president.  If you are cooking for the president, take extra care.

Broil the peppers until the cheese is melting and the top is beginning to brown, about 4 minutes. Top with the remaining 1 cup cheese and broil until the cheese is completely melted, about 2 minutes.

Yoooowwwwwwww!!